Sealed acoustic speaker and medical device including same

Abstract

Various embodiments of a speaker and a method of forming such speaker are disclosed. The speaker includes a frame having a first major surface, a second major surface, and an opening disposed between the first and second major surfaces; a cone disposed adjacent the first major surface of the frame; and an adhesive layer disposed on at least a portion of the second major surface of the frame. The adhesive layer occludes the opening of the frame.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A speaker, comprising:
 a frame comprising a first major surface and a second major surface, the frame having an opening disposed between the first major surface and the second major surface; 
 a cone disposed adjacent the first major surface of the frame, wherein the frame provides support to the cone; and 
 an adhesive layer disposed on at least a portion of the second major surface of the frame, wherein the adhesive layer occludes the opening, 
 wherein the first major surface, the cone, and the adhesive layer define a sealed cavity between the first major surface and the cone. 
 
     
     
       2. The speaker of  claim 1 , further comprising a magnet disposed adjacent the second major surface of the frame, wherein the magnet is connected to the cone through a port disposed in the frame. 
     
     
       3. The speaker of  claim 1 , further comprising a scrim layer disposed on the second major surface of the frame and over the opening, wherein at least a portion of the adhesive layer is disposed on the scrim layer. 
     
     
       4. The speaker of  claim 1 , wherein the adhesive layer comprises a UV curable adhesive. 
     
     
       5. The speaker of  claim 1 , wherein a perimeter of the cone is sealed to a perimeter of the frame. 
     
     
       6. The speaker of  claim 5 , further comprising a gasket connected to the perimeter of the frame and the perimeter of the cone, wherein the gasket is adapted to seal the perimeter of the cone to the perimeter of the frame. 
     
     
       7. The speaker of  claim 1 , wherein the adhesive layer comprises pressure-sensitive adhesive. 
     
     
       8. The speaker of  claim 1 , wherein the adhesive layer comprises a thermoplastic adhesive. 
     
     
       9. The speaker of  claim 1 , wherein the frame defines a plurality of openings, wherein the adhesive layer occludes each opening of the plurality of openings. 
     
     
       10. The speaker of  claim 1 , wherein the speaker further comprises an increase in sound pressure level of at least 1 dB for sound frequencies in a range of at least 20 Hz and no greater than 22 kHz as compared to a speaker that does not include the adhesive layer. 
     
     
       11. A medical device comprising the speaker of  claim 1 . 
     
     
       12. The speaker of  claim 1 , wherein the sealed cavity is configured to seal a gas between the frame and the cone to create a positive pressure within the cavity. 
     
     
       13. The speaker of  claim 12 , further comprising a scrim layer disposed on the second major surface of the frame and over the opening,
 wherein at least a portion of the adhesive layer is disposed on the scrim layer, 
 wherein the adhesive layer comprises an adhesive configured to outgas the gas during a curing process, and 
 wherein the scrim layer is a breathable layer configured to allow the gas to pass through the scrim layer and into the sealed cavity when the adhesive outgasses the gas. 
 
     
     
       14. The speaker of  claim 1 , further comprising a spider connecting the cone and the frame, wherein the first major surface, the cone, the adhesive, and the spider define the sealed cavity. 
     
     
       15. A method, comprising:
 disposing a cone adjacent a first major surface of a frame, wherein the frame comprises a second major surface and has an opening disposed between the first major surface and the second major surface, and wherein the frame supports the cone; and 
 disposing an adhesive layer on at least a portion of the second major surface of the frame, wherein the adhesive layer occludes the opening such that the first major surface, the cone, and the adhesive layer define a sealed cavity between the first major surface and the cone. 
 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15 , further comprising disposing a magnet adjacent the second major surface of the frame, wherein the magnet is connected to the cone through a port disposed in the frame. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 15 , further comprising curing the adhesive layer. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 17 , further comprising outgassing, during the curing process, a gas from the adhesive layer and into the sealed cavity. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 15 , further comprising disposing a scrim layer on the second major surface of the frame and over the opening prior disposing the adhesive layer, wherein disposing the adhesive layer comprises disposing the adhesive layer on the scrim layer. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 15 , further comprising sealing a perimeter of the cone to a perimeter of the frame to cause the frame to support the cone.